


Don't Dream It's Over

by CuriousKeeper



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Arranged Marriage, Developing Relationship, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, alternate universe - nelaros doesn't die
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-06-30 06:04:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15745773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuriousKeeper/pseuds/CuriousKeeper
Summary: When she's met with a challenge, Ashaya Tabris charges on. No money for a birthday present for her father? She steals it. Kidnapped by humans? She kills them. Arranged marriage? That's a different story. The retelling of Ashaya's battle against the Blight, with a tag along. AU Nelaros doesn't die.





	1. The Thief Threatens a Potential Thief

**Author's Note:**

> I was writing a piece on Ashaya for my one shot collection and then this monster happened. It was only supposed to be a series of one shots, but I like pain and suffering so here we are. I intend on this being multi-chap, but life will probably get in the way. I'll do my best to post regularly. I also want to mention that I was going to kill Nelaros originally, but... I love him now? So I couldn't do it. Enjoy the brain child of me being too weak to kill off the sweet child.  
> The chapters that I've already written are a bit short, but I'll probably post one every few days while I write and plan the new chapters.  
> Also I want to give a shout out to my beta reader because she's the best and deserves so much for reading and correcting my garbage grammar and sentence structures.

        “Who is that  _ delicious  _ creature?” A woman whispered behind her. Ashaya cringed away from the woman and towards the throng of people in the Alienage market. Somehow she managed to cram her way through a crowd only to get stuck in another. People were handsy today, more so than usual. Hopefully no pickpockets were around. Glancing up, she met the gaze of a decidedly attractive elven stranger. A square jaw sat atop strong looking shoulders and a well built body. Although they were fairly far away, she could see he had rough, stained hands, presumably from some kind of physical work. He was accompanied by an older gentleman and a young woman. Her eyes met with the blond beauty and she couldn’t help but give a coy smile before turning back to the stall to barter. She could feel eyes on her back, although it could just be her imagination. Definitely just her imagination. She couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder and sure enough he was looking at her. At  _ her.  _

_         Stop drooling at him, you idiot. Do what you came to do and go home. Papa is waiting.  _ Ignoring the urge to turn and look at him again, she picked what she needed and began the barter. It was something she was proud of, a skill she possessed on her own. After her mother passed, her father was practically inconsolable. It was up to her to take care of him, and she did. She was damned good at it, too. When she was focused. 

        “2 silver. This is  _ handmade _ . With  _ love _ .” Ashaya cackled at the woman’s declaration. 

        “With love? Then why are you selling it and not giving it to your grandkids, hm? You’re trying to commit highway robbery here! 25 copper.”

        “Twenty- What?! No, goodness. 1 silver, 75 copper.” Another cackle from Ashaya. 

        “I feel as though you’re trying to pull one over on me, Melowyn. 50 copper.” They continued to go back and forth, Ashaya getting swept away in the fun of bartering when she felt a tap on her shoulder. A quick glance over her shoulder told her someone was behind her, probably wanting a chance to buy from the thieving shopkeep. 

        “You’ll get your turn with the thief, don’t you worry. 25 copper and an apple pie from yours truly.” 

        “Your pies taste like a giant’s toe. 1 silver, 65 copper.” Ashaya gasped in mock offense. 

        “How dare you! 35 copper. I’m not budg-” another tap on the shoulder, and this time when she turned around, there was Tall, Blond and Handsome standing right behind her. He was lucky she didn’t make it a habit to carry her daggers with her in the Alienage or he might’ve lost a man part or two.

        “Give me a moment please, kind sir.” She stated and turned back to Melowyn and continued to barter. The elderly woman, saw her chance at Ashaya’s distraction and took it. 

        “I will not go lower than 1 silver.” The woman crossed her arms, Ashaya too concentrated on the stranger behind her, did not have the focus required to continue the barter. Slipping the woman a silver from her coin purse and taking her wares, she turned away from the stall and the stranger, going left out of the throngs of people. The shopkeeper cackled excitedly, hiding the silver in her lockbox while gesturing another potential customer to come over. 

        Visitors are few and far between in the Alienage, so when they  _ did _ get visitors, it put everyone in a tizzy. Attractive visitors made matters even more dramatic. Normally Ashaya was immune to the spell everyone was put under when they received visitors. In her defense, visitors weren’t normally  _ this  _ attractive. Or this  _ stupid.  _ Well that was a lie, but it was the point. He followed her through the crowd, and held something out in his hand, but she couldn’t see it and decided to give him a moment to explain himself. Arms crossed across her chest, foot tapping she decided to wait until he caught up with her. He never made it that far.

        The mousy woman he entered the Alienage with followed them and cornered the stranger. She glanced at Ashaya and back at her travel companion and rolled her eyes, whispering something towards him. His eyes broke from her and he began a heated discussion with her. Ashaya took advantage of the distraction. Eye candy or no, that was an odd experience that she would relay to Shianni later in the day.

        In the meantime, it was time for supper and her father was an awful cook. If she was too late to make dinner, then she would have to suffer through his.

 

~

 

        After the grueling meal with her father, she definitely was not in the mood to stay cooped up for the rest of the night.

        Heading towards the door, her father called out to her, “Are you leaving again? Child, where are you going now? It’s getting late.” She sighed quietly and slowly turned to him, “Where’s your mother’s chain?”

        At his last comment she looked down and where her mother’s chain normally lay on her chest was bare. Panic gripped her throat in a vice like grip. Someone must have nabbed it in the market. That loose clasp was going to be the death of her. 

        “Papa, not to worry, I just... Um... left it with Shianni! Yes, Shianni has it, it is safe and sound in her responsible hands that are not my hands- yeah, so I’m just gonna go... Okay, bye!” Before he could murmur another word she was out the door in a flash, racing to the market. 

_         “Shit shit shit shit shit!”  _ Her brain was on overdrive. Once she got to the market, she scrambled around looking for it. By this time, most shopkeepers cleared out, so it was only stragglers milling about. Immediately she went to the old woman’s stall and searched the ground there. No such luck. She searched elsewhere, not seeing any sign of the glittering chain.

        “Why do I own things? I only lose them. That’s it, I’ve decided I’m going to sell all my things and live naked in the woods with the killer trees and the elfy elves.” She ranted to herself, not aware of the audience behind her.

        “Do you happen to be looking for this?” A quiet voice asked from behind her. She spun to face him- it was  _ him. _ The stranger from earlier. Immediately her suspicions arose, and she glared at him with all the vehemence she could manage. Silently she noted that he did not sound the way she thought he would.

        “Yes! Where did you find that? Or rather, I should ask, when did you  _ steal it? _ ” She accused, attempting to intimidate him.  _ This would be a lot easier if I had my daggers. _

        “N-no, I saw a little redheaded girl take it from you when you were walking through earlier and when I tried to give it back to you, my… my friend got the wrong idea and- it’s such a mess. I am very sorry, here’s your chain.” He stumbled over his words and she could feel herself warm up to him a bit. Poor bumbling idiot. At least he was cute. 

        He held the coiled up silver chain out to her and she gently grabbed it from his hands, a thoughtful look coming over her face.

        “Did you replace the clasp?” Ashaya was astounded, holding it up in the light of the lowering sun. 

        “Well, when you disappeared I figured- I’m not really sure why I did it, I apologize. It looked like it completely broke off when the girl snatched it from you and I’ve been waiting here since you left and there was a vendor who said he could do it in just a few minutes-” The stranger rambled on and Ashaya felt a little guilty for trying to scare him in the first place. She placed her free hand on his arm and smiled up at him.

        “No need to explain, I appreciate it nonetheless. Now, if I’m understanding you correctly, you just  _ waited here  _ for me? What if I never came back? Would you have stood here until you died? Or worse, starved? Wait, wait, wait- you’ve been standing here for over an hour! Are you hungry? Shi- I mean, uh, goodness! Let’s feed you. Come with me.” Ashaya was no better with rambling, but she was so very confused at the chain of events and it showed in her rambunctious speech.

        “No, it’s quite alright, I can-” 

        “No. I’ll make you dinner.” She left no room for discussion, dragging him off to her home. 

~

        Upon arriving, it appeared as though her father had gone off somewhere, but in the end it was better that way. The less questions she got from the professional worry wart, the better. 

        “Take your shoes off at the door please, or my father will have a conniption, otherwise make yourself comfortable.” Ashaya tossed her shoes to the side and glided to the kitchen to see what meal supplies they had. 

        Nelaros followed her example, arranging his shoes gently next to hers. Glancing around, her residence definitely was not much, but he could tell it was her haven. As soon as they entered the hovel, her shoulders relaxed, and the tension building up on her features melted away. He brought himself to the unsteady table and watched her bustle around the tiny kitchen. 

        “My name is Ashaya, by the way. I figure if you’re going to be eating my food, you should probably know my name.” Her voice was slightly subdued due to her facing away from him. 

        “Nelaros. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He could hear her quietly snickering to herself, and his cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. 

        “You’re a fancy one, aren’tcha? Where do you hail from Nelaros?” She dumped some vegetables in the pot over the fire. He watched the firelight reflecting upon her delicate features for a moment before looking at his hands.

        “I’m from Highever. Came here to get married actually.” She noticed the tone of his voice change. He sounded a bit sad?

        “Aren’t you excited to spend the rest of your life with the one you love? Oh, is it forced? Is she up the duff? Bun in the oven? Bat in the cave? Wait, how would that be if you’re from Highever and you came here? You can’t get someone pregnant long distance, can you?” She could hear him snorting at her silly questions, and she could feel a smile tugging on her lips. 

        “No, she’s not pregnant. Well, not that I’ve heard of. My father seems to think that since I’m not married at the ripe old age of 21, it’s his job to marry me off to a strange woman. I’ve heard she’s a little on the wild side, but otherwise not a bad person.” Nelaros explained himself, feeling oddly comfortable with his new acquaintance. 

        “Ooohhh I wonder who it is. I bet I can guess. Do you happen to know her name? Wait no, I want to guess. So do you know what she looks like? What she acts like? Give me an idea here and I bet I’ll guess it.” She stood beside the fireplace waiting for the water to boil so she could give the man some Maker damned stew. Impatience was something her father scolded her on a every few days. The more impatient she got, the rowdier she got. 

        “Well I actually don’t know a whole lot. My father said she’s a fairly pretty girl but never gave me any identifying features like hair or eye color. Her father described her as: ‘the sweetest pain in the rear you’ll ever meet.’ Which you wouldn’t think that if you’re trying to match your child up with someone else, you would describe them like that. Obviously my father and our hahren was drawn into it, so I can’t say too much against her father’s methods.”

        Ashaya grinned, “Your father probably wants a woman that will push you to be a better person. I know my Papa has been trying to talk me into courting one of the boys that I grew up with because he was the only person that was ever able to ‘talk some sense into me,’” She laughed, “whatever that means. In any case, that sounds exactly like something my Papa would say. ‘She’s a real sweet girl, don’t let the crazy that slips out convince you otherwise!’ He’s a goofball, but he’ll say that to anyone interested in me. He’s very serious about being honest and upfront with people.” 

        “You sound fond of him,” Nelaros stated, feeling a bit of envy sneak into his heart.

        She spared a moment from her cooking to turn and share a content smile, “He’s my best friend. He nags, but it is just his way of showing that he cares. Before my Mama died, I think he was under the impression we were invincible and the gods would watch over our little family. After she was killed, he held me a little tighter.” For some reason she found it easier to share this information with this stranger. Maybe because he would marry his girl and it was likely she’d never see him again. Or she’d only see him in passing. She could feel his eyes on her as she got his food in a bowl and snagged him a piece of bread. 

        “Aren’t you going to eat anything?” Nelaros asked as she set the bowl down in front of him. Ashaya shook her head, curly tendrils freeing themselves from her tight braid. She turned back to the kitchen to clean. 

        “I already ate, but I think I might make some tea. Would you like some?” 

        “Yes please. You didn’t strike me as a tea drinker. Maybe a dwarven ale drinker, but not a tea drinker.” That got a laugh from her, and he decided he rather liked the sound. It was an honest laugh. It made him smile, “So are you sure your father hasn’t made a match for you? Because it seems a little too convenient that your personality matches the description of my future bride.”

        When he made the statement, she was just taking a test sip of her freshly made tea. Now it was sprayed all over the wall. His raucous laughter filled the small apartment. Shooting her guest a glare, she brought him his tea and sat down in the chair facing him. 

        “My Papa would  _ never  _ do that without asking me first.” She didn’t even consider the idea before shooting it down, it was so preposterous. After a few moments of awkward silence, the conversation continued to flow on. They talked about everything and nothing, but Nelaros couldn’t let go of the idea. He was sure. He had met a lot of women today while waiting for her to come retrieve her necklace and none matched the description  _ but  _ her. As his father always liked to remind him, never say never.

 


	2. 1.5 Tea and Thievery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea isn't always best before bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these little half chapters. I think I'll post them more often when I write them. Warning for descriptive blood and a bit of body horror? I think that's what it's called. If I mis-tag something, let me know, please!

       Flashes of sticky blood soaked blond hair. Warm liquid pooling around her fingers, warm _red_ liquid. Blood. Blood. Blood. Long, lean body, writhing, wriggling. Pain. _He’s in pain, sweet boy, don’t cry._ He’s gagging on his own fluids, he’s dying. Stab of pain through the gut. _Hold him,_ the voice says, _he’s dying for you._ Reaching out, fingernails caked in blood not her own, cradles a love not to be. Tears mix with the blood, _stop crying, stupid girl, your tears are suffocating him._ He knows she feels this, he knows she won’t let his memory fade away. He tries to smile, more blood pours out, it’s coming out of his eyes. “This is your fault.”

 

       With a start, Ashaya jolted upright, hands still clawing for Nelaros. Her arms pulled in only air, and she grasped herself tight, clenching her eyes shut. He was still there, beneath her eyelids. Dying. Dirt turning to bloody mush below him, and- no. She stopped the train of thought, and opened her eyes again. Why would she have dreams of a stranger loving of her? A stranger _dying_ for her? It was too realistic a dream, and that’s what scared her most. Thankfully it was beginning to fade and blur together, and recalling the details was becoming impossible. _Good._

      “Andraste’s flaming knickers, I’m never having _that_ tea before bed again.” She spoke to her empty home.

       Walking to the wash basin, she rubbed her eyes tiredly and glanced around for her father. _He must have gone out already. I wonder if he went to work already? Ah, well, he’ll get back home at some point._ After getting her morning routine done and dressing herself in something slightly presentable and not stained- which was a task in itself- she headed out.

       Today was her self appointed holiday, ‘Apple Snatchin’ Day’, also known as, ‘It’s getting really close to Papa’s birthday and I forgot that I needed money to buy a large amount of apples and I think I’m just going to steal them instead.’

 


	3. I Feel Pretty (Scared)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding time with Nelaros, and panic attacks, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine the girls gave each other nicknames, so Shy (pronounced Shi) and Ani (pronounced Ah-knee).  
> So the one shot would fit between chapter 1 & 2\. (this is actually chapter two), and I just realized how well it would have flowed with this now that I look at it, but I have made my decision so here we are. If you want to read the great apple heist (which actually isn't that great) and Cyrion dropping the arranged marriage bomb on Ashaya, it can be viewed [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15599361/chapters/36612795). Otherwise, enjoy!

            “What does he mean, ‘married.’ Do I look like the kind to get married? No! I look like... Well, very attractive, if I do say so myself, but I look like a wild card. A free bird. _Not_ married.” Ashaya grumbled to herself, walking to her favorite little restaurant nestled near the entrance of the Alienage. When she entered, the owner gave her a warm smile, and began gathering the usual order she got. It looked like they were about to close down for the night, but Silvaia, while not openly admitting to it, had a soft spot for Ashaya.

            “Can you make that two to go, please?” Ashaya requested quietly, catching Silvaia’s suspicious eye.

            “Aye, I can do that for ye, child.” If she felt the urge to ask any questions, she didn’t show it and made Ashaya her usual warm apple cider with an apple tart. The baker always gave Ashaya a large discount. In return, Ashaya made her extra apple pies to sell for free. She paid extra for the plate and mugs she was taking and took off to where she knew Nelaros was currently residing. When he caught sight of her, he immediately came to greet her.

            “I come bearing gifts.” She announced with a sad smile. He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t immediately question it. His newfound friend was definitely an oddball and he very much appreciated it. He would miss this relationship he had with her after he was married. _Unless you marry her..._ He dismissed the thought and followed her lead.

            She led them through alleys and twists and turns and managed to get them onto some sort of balcony looking over the Alienage. She set down the items between them before leaning back a bit and sighing loudly.

            “Go ahead.”

            “I stole a shit ton of apples.” She announced as if she was talking about the weather. He started choking on the apple cider.

            “What?!”

            “Well, Papa’s birthday is coming up and when I was younger, Mama and I would make him a little apple pie from scratch. Now it’s just me, so I do what I can with what I have. Anyways, I just wanted to tell of my exploits to _someone._ If I told Papa, he might have a heart attack on me.”

            “Ah, I’m your _only_ choice. I see,” Nelaros laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Continue.”

            “Well, the fact that the Denerim City Guard still hasn’t caught on is... well, to be honest with you, I do it every year around the same time and they _still_ haven’t managed to put two and two together. Can you even believe those lugheads are protecting the King of Ferelden’s city? It boggles the mind. Anyways, I brought a big satchel, not unusual if you’re going to be doing a lot of shopping, and I ‘fell’, knocking a small basket of apples into my satchel. And then I ran.”

            “Wow, your thievery skills know no bounds. Very nice.” The sarcasm melding with his soft voice was disarming, but she ignored it and continued with her story.

            “That’s not the best part, you dolt. I was running and I was planning on looping back through once the coast was clear, but these smarmy bastards kept up with me! At least until their buddies slammed the gate shut... _After_ I’d already escaped.” Nelaros snorted and shook his head. Conversation drifted off as they munched and sipped on their foodstuffs.

            Ashaya wanted to tell him desperately of her getting married, but she didn’t want to get his hopes up. What if he thought it was her and it turned out to be someone else? Not that they were _in love_ or anything cheesy like that, but they knew each other vaguely. It was better than marrying a complete stranger.

            “So when do you think you’ll get married?” Nelaros questioned, taking a sip of his cooling cider. She choked on her apple pastry, eyes bulging from her head in surprise at the inquiry that coincided with her thoughts.

            “W-what?” She sputtered, still trying to catch her breath. In an effort to help her breath, he forcefully slapped his palm on her back. Nodding to indicate she was okay, he relented his motions and clarified.

            “Since you’re so sure that your father would never marry you off, when do you think you’ll find someone to settle down with?”

            Instead of just coming clean with him about her upcoming wedding _possibly to him_ , she shrugged, “I don’t want to get married. I watched my father suffer after he lost my mother... I have never courted someone with the intention of being serious.” Nelaros looked at her, and nodded in acceptance of her answer.

            “I could see that. You do remind me of a crazy cat lady.” She lightly slapped his arm and he laughed. Her questioning gaze turned to him.

            “What do you think she’s like? Your future bride?” Ashaya’s voice sounded softer and a bit more fragile than usual.

            “Now keep in mind, I have no idea who this woman is. So when I meet her, I will probably be very wrong. From the description I was given alone... I imagine she would be extremely loyal to doing the right thing with those she loves, and while she will probably push  buttons, I imagine it’s only because she would want what’s best for those around her. I hope she’s funny. My sense of humor is lacking sometimes.” She scoffed at him and he raised a brow at her. She gestured for him to continue.

            “This is going to sound very run of the mill, but I hope I can learn to love her. And I hope she can do the same for me.” Ashaya grabbed his hand and he jumped in surprise, but she met his eyes and a sad smile graced her full lips.

            “I’m sure she’ll love you just fine.” Ashaya reassured him, releasing his hand from her grip and leaning back against the building. Her eyes followed the constellations in the night sky and she delved into her thoughts. What was life like outside of the Alienage? In her heart she hoped her husband wouldn’t mind if she traveled. She’d always wanted to see the wild beauty of Ferelden. Ashaya was doubtful. What man would want their woman to willingly put themselves in danger for the fun of it? He would need someone to have the children and keep the household and... She cringed. She was not cut out for marriage. Her eyes searched the sky for an answer and when she caught sight of a shooting star, she grabbed Nelaros’ attention.

            “Look! A shooting star! Now we have to make a wish.” Nelaros chuckled, but obliged her odd behavior.

_I wish to travel on an adventure so grand, they’ll talk about it for ages!_

 

_I wish that I will be able to love my new wife wholly for the rest of my days..._

 

~

 

            “Wake up, darling! It’s your big day!” A vaguely familiar voice stirred Ashaya from her deep slumber. Nelaros and Ashaya stayed out quite a bit later than they had intended, and now she was suffering the consequences.

            Moaning, she peeked an eye out to see her father standing beside her bed expectantly.

            “Just a little longer, Papa...” She pleaded, covering her eyes with her pillow.

            “Don’t make me get the cold water, child. It was decided you and Soris would have a double wedding. Don’t make them wait, Ashaya.” Her father crossed his arms and she could feel his cold gaze lingering on her back.

            “I still don’t like this arranged marriage business.” She grumbled from underneath her pillow.

            “Well, who else would you marry, child? Weddings are a joyous occasion. I know it is not what you wanted for yourself, but do try to enjoy it. If not for yourself than for your groom. Soris is going to be relying on you much today as well.”

            With a displeased groan, she sat up in bed. Curls stuck up in all directions and bags sat heavily under her eyes. It looked like she didn’t take his advice about coming home a little earlier than usual.

            “Shianni will be over soon to help you get yourself... How did she put it- ah yes, ‘beautified.’ So you should probably take a brush to that mane of yours and wash up a bit.” He paused and she could see something weighing heavily on his mind that he was hesitant to share. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood, with all intentions of getting herself ready.

            He grasped her hand. Her father carried a heavy sadness in his heart, and she could feel it in the way he gazed at her, “My little girl... it’s the last day I’ll be able to call you that. I wish your mother could have been here.”

            Ashaya could feel herself getting emotional, but she didn’t want him to see that when he was already under so much pressure. Bottling it up, she could feel herself reaching her limit for feely bullshit today. She nodded, “I know, Papa. I know. We have to hurry before my groom decides he wants to give me back!” Her joke fell flat, and she knew it. But what could she say to him to make this any easier? He brought this on both of them. He attempted a smile before pulling her in for a hug.

            “Don’t forget that I love you, Ashaya. I have always been and will always be on your side.” They stood there for a moment longer, gripping each other tight until Cyrion released his girl. He didn’t have the heart for any more words. Nodding at her, he left the house, presumably to let her get herself ready.

            When Shianni arrived, she looked more a mess than when her father had left.

            “How do you manage to do this to yourself?” Shianni questioned, a laugh beginning in her throat.

            “We are both baffled by my amazing skills.” After a good long eye roll from Shianni. They set to work, cleaning up the mess Ashaya had created of herself. By the end of their little beauty session, Ashaya was plucked, primped, and primed to perfection. After looking at herself in a piece of broken glass they used as a mirror, she decided she definitely needed to keep up with her eyebrows because holy hot damn, she looked good when she put in effort. Granted she _always_ looked good, but this was a more refined look for her.

            Finally the moment of truth came, and they had to slip her into the wedding gown that was passed down from her mother. When she pulled it on, she was surprised by how well it fit her. The sleeves were long and flowy, but not so long as to inhibit hand movement and the cinched waist showed off a little bit of her curves. She felt like a princess and she was going to rock this man. Whoever he was.  

            “This is going to sound like a silly question, but um... Did you happen to catch the name of my betrothed? It seems as though Papa forgot to tell me.” Ashaya stated sheepishly. She felt foolish, why all this nervousness when she could have asked if it was Nelaros this whole time? Shianni shrugged. _Great._

            “I didn’t catch his name. Sorry, cousin.” She replied, “But he is _very_ handsome. You will make beautiful babies.”

            Ashaya coughed uncomfortably, “Uh, it’s a little early for that Ani.” Shianni laughed, and continued braiding an Orlesian* styled headband into her cousin’s hairline.

            “You look beautiful, Shy.” A glare from the bride, “Sorry, sorry. _More_ beautiful.”

~

_“            Soris should be waiting outside for you. Now, hurry! You’ll be late to your own wedding.”_

            Ashaya grumbled in protest, shoved from her own home into the pleasant morning air. Taking a deep breath, she wanted to remember the moment forever. _It’s your last morning as a free woman. Enjoy the simple things._

            When she was small, she remembered her mother saying ‘ _the morning of your wedding day is not one easily forgotten_ .’ She wasn’t calling her late mother a liar, but... Other than the pampering, everything else was normal. The threats to rouse her from bed, being heckled by both her father _and_ Shianni as soon as she woke. She supposed she could still be in shock from the idea of being married considering the news _was_ dumped on her the night prior.

            Her eyes scanned the Alienage, and she could feel a lump forming in her throat. It felt like she would never see the place again, but from what she was told, her husband would be joining her family here in Denerim. A sense of dread filled her, knocking the air from her lungs. It felt like the end of the world as she knew it; panic continuously filled her until she was overflowing with jittery anxiety. Passerbys gave her a curious look, but ignored her presence as she began to hyperventilate. She lost control of her legs, slamming back into the wall of her home. She could hear Shianni scrambling around inside, coming closer to the door. Ashaya threw her head back, morning light filtering through her closed eyelids as she tried to fill her crushed lungs. The door creaked to her left, and she could feel Shianni’s hand wrap around her forearm, pulling her into the house. The telltale creaking of the door signaled Shianni shut it behind them.

            “Shy, are you okay?” A few moments passed without a reply, “Shy? Ashaya, please. Talk to me.”

            Shianni’s only answer was a muted sob from her cousin as she curled in on herself and dropped to the floor.

            “Hey, none of that crying business. I worked hard to make your face look beautiful.” There were a few minutes before any other communication was heard between the two.

            “ _More_ beautiful.” A quiet, strained reply sounded from Ashaya. Shianni smiled sadly and crouched next to her cousin. During their makeup session, Shianni could tell Shy was not taking the news well. Sometimes she felt as though she could slap her uncle for dropping this on Ashaya with little to no warning. He knew his daughter well enough to know that she did not take threats to her freedom to roam lightheartedly. In all honesty, she was surprised the bride to be didn’t have a breakdown about it earlier.

            “Come, Shy. I know it feels like the end of the world, but I can tell you, it isn’t. A bit of change will do you some good, you stick in the mud.”

            The admittance made Ashaya feel a smidge better, enough to get her off the floor. It was still difficult to breath, but she was determined to get the anxiety out by gulping air as if she hadn’t breathed in years.

            “Oh, I’m glad you came back. I forgot the flowers!” Shianni ignored the panic attack, acting as though her cousin came back on her own accord. She grabbed some wildflowers she’d collected from the fields outside the city and with a swift hand, she laced the flowers throughout Ashaya’s curly locks and braid. Shianni smiled and sent her off again for the second time that morning.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *More* beautiful. Sweet baby Shy. Thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day!


	4. My Big Fat Elven Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sass Master 3000 gets unwillingly wed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got the origin story all typed up, I'm just trying to get Ostagar done and it's beating my butt.

          “Well if it isn’t my favorite cousin. Care to celebrate the end of our independence together?” Soris approached, arms wide open in preparation of his typical greeting. A roll of the eyes later, and she was in his arms receiving a hug. His fine clothes scratched her cheek unpleasantly.  

          “You know if you’re not ready to marry either, we can run away to live with the Dalish elves.” Ashaya propositioned, receiving an incredulous look in reply. He repositioned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, guiding them slowly towards the rendezvous point for the soon-to-be newlyweds. 

          “Run away and live with the savages in the woods? I think I’ll have to pass on that. Besides, why would you run away? Your groom sounds like a dream come true. My bride sounds like a dying mouse.”

          Thoughts of Nelaros flickered through her mind, but she ignored them and instead replied, “Maybe you’ll get a cage for a wedding present?” 

          Soris snorted and continued guiding them, “This is why you’re my favorite cousin.”

          A giggle permeated the late morning air, mingling with the chirping of the birds and the resonant sounds of the city. “I’m your only cousin present.”

          Ashaya felt him shrug, “It can’t be helped,” He replied. She leaned her head on his shoulder enjoying the normalcy of their interactions, “Are you nervous?”

          She could feel the vibration of his nervous chuckle, “Uh, a bit. The rest of my life is a long time.” She nodded in agreement, but elected to stay silent. Frailty was never a word she associated with herself, but at this moment in time, she did definitely feel it. She knew she needed another moment, but did they have the time? Where would the wedding go without two key pieces? Maybe their future partners would marry each other to replace the two wandering cousins. It didn’t sound like a bad idea.

          “D’ya mind if we take a small detour?” Ashaya pleaded, her voice strained. With a sigh, Soris began leading them through alleyways and around side streets, trying to extend their walk as long as he could. They chatted lightly in between, enjoying the last moments of their freedom as they meandered to their destination. 

 

~

          Upon arriving, Ashaya noted they took long enough that Shianni had gotten there before the duo did. Shianni waved towards them, but Ashaya was too busy watching the humans approach from behind. Luckily still hidden from the view of the humans, she watched the whole interaction with apprehension. Dread built up, and she could feel her hand reaching for the dagger she stored in her boot. They looked like nobles, based on their clothes and the way they kept themselves. The leader in front was pale skinned with light brown, verging on blond, hair and a goatee. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place the resemblance. The other two, well, they were fairly nondescript and dressed in similar clothing to their ringleader.

          “I know what you’re thinking, but maybe we shouldn’t get involved.” Soris whispered from beside her and she threw him a dirty look.

          “Shianni will get herself killed, Soris. We need to do  _ something. _ ” He took her words into consideration before huffing.

          “Fine, but let’s try to be diplomatic, shall we?”

 

          The duo approached together, and as soon as she locked eyes with what appeared to be the human leading the assault, she knew she was in trouble. 

          “What’s this? Another lovely one come to keep me company?” His voice sounded like what she imagined getting dragged through a marsh felt like. Slimy, disgusting, and as a whole, unpleasant. He swaggered his way over to her, and regret inched its way up her spine as she prepared to face off with him.  _ Be smart, be smart, be smart. _

          “Let’s talk about this, shall we?” She was proud of herself for not being wholly aggressive like she wanted to be. He wasn’t one of the idiot city guards. His response confirmed her previous observation.

          “Do you have any idea who I am?” He scoffed at her. She wanted to sigh, but her moment to respond was over. He noticed Soris waving frantically at Shianni and turned to face her. Instead of seeing the feisty redhead, he saw an old wine bottle right before it collided with his face. One of his lackeys ran over to check on him, crouching down beside the fallen man.

          “Are you insane? This is Vaughn Urien, the arl of Denerim’s son!” The information hit Shianni like a war hound, and she covered her face in panic.

          “Lackey Two” as Ashaya named him, approached and stated his piece about having nerve and maybe there was an underlying threat there, too, but at that point she stopped paying attention.  _ Why didn’t you just run away when you had the chance?  _

          “Take him home. If you don’t bring this up, we won’t.” She attempted to appeal to their more intelligent side. If it existed. Ashaya was sure this would look bad on their reputation.

          “Oh, I really messed up this time.” Shianni approached after the humans attempting to intimidate her took their leave, manhandling their charge. Soris smirked at her, proud it wasn’t him that mucked something up this time.

          “It’ll be alright. He won’t tell anyone an elven woman took him down.” He snickered and Shianni glared right through him.

          “I sure hope so. I should go get cleaned up.” Shianni looked a little pale, and Ashaya made sure to follow her with her eyes until she was out of sight. In all the excitement, she never noticed Nelaros until he was approaching her with his traveling companion. Her eyes bulged and she could feel a lump growing in her throat again. He was dressed in his fine clothes, a brown undershirt with a beautiful forest green embroidered vest, his pants matching the embroidery.  _ Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? _ A fleeting, meaningless thought. Nelaros never took his eyes from her, a small grin playing at the edges of his mouth. He’d suspected the whole time, the little bastard!  _ Well he did try to warn you. Not his fault you didn’t listen.  _

          “Is everyone all right?” 

          “I think we’re just shaken. What was all that about?” Soris’ future bride was... Well she was quaint. Not nearly as bad as Soris had described her as. She did look like she would scurry at the slightest provocation, though. Ashaya was too busy assessing his future bride to really follow the conversation, but Soris snapped her back to reality with introductions. She could see Nelaros’ scheming smile and she grinned back at him playfully.

          “A pleasure to meet you, Ashaya. Soris has told me much of you, some of it even positive.” His smile reminded her of the cat that got the cream. The victory of knowing he was right in his assumption that she was his bride. 

          “I just wanted to give you a chance to run while you could!” Soris responded cheekily. Ashaya tapped him lightly on the arm and shot him a glare, “I’m sure the two of you have much to discuss. If you’ll excuse us.” The pair linked arms and strolled through the Alienage, leaving Ashaya and Nelaros behind.

          “Well, here we are… Are you nervous?” He asked sheepishly, reaching for her hand. She stared at his hand, and back at him. This wasn’t a joke. This was real,  _ he  _ was real. Not a faceless person to boss her around, but someone who gave her a chance. Someone who she knew would listen and test her patience, as she would him. There was no point in lying to him. She nodded her head and grasped the proffered hand. Gently guiding her, he continued to speak.

          “I had a sneaking suspicion you were my betrothed. I thought I would stay calm if it  _ was  _ you, but now that I know... Well, let’s just say I was very wrong.” She snickered at his admission. He shot her a glare, but said nothing more.

          “If... if you’re willing to try, so am I. It can only get better from here,” Ashaya wasn’t very good at being supportive and her reassuring smile looked more like a grimace. The thought was there, the execution of said thought was a different matter entirely.

          “I hope in time, we can both learn to-” Something disrupted him from his thought, and he stared off into the distance. Ashaya squinted in that general direction and saw a human, clad in full armor, meandering around. They shared a quick look of concern before she began tugging her husband-to-be towards the human. 

          “Doesn’t look like one of Vaughn’s men. Let’s get him out of here before someone causes trouble.” She spoke, adrenaline building up in her system. The human caught sight of them and she attempted to look as friendly as possible. Again, the thought was there, the execution was lacking. Her expression looked as though she licked an extra sour lemon and it looked as though the stranger was still trying to decipher it when the pair approached. 

          “Good day, I understand congratulations are in order for your impending wedding.” He greeted. Word in the Alienage spread fast, especially when a party was involved. 

          “Thank you. We’re very excited,” She tried not to scoff at her lie, “Do you happen to have business here in the Alienage today?” The human’s eyebrows shot up at her forwardness, and he examined her closely. He was clearly looking for something or someone, the real question was who. Ashaya doubted she could wiggle the answer out of him. 

          “I do. I believe, however, that I may have already found what I was seeking.” He replied. A cryptic answer if she’d ever heard one. She was beginning to get agitated. Early afternoon and it already felt like the day had dragged. She was tired of interacting with strangers, tired of people commenting on her upcoming wedding, and tired of humans. Sensing her agitation, Nelaros spoke before she could. 

**“** We’re glad you found what you were looking for. Does that happen to mean that you’ll be leaving soon? Not to be rude, but people get a bit antsy when there’s a wedding.” Nelaros made an excuse, and Ashaya felt immensely grateful.

          “I’m sorry, but I’ve no intention of leaving.”

          “We may have to find a compromise, sir.” Ashaya replied, staring him down. So intent on intimidating him, she didn’t notice Valendrian coming to stand beside him until he was already there. 

          “She keeps her composure, even when facing down an unknown and armed human. A true gift, wouldn’t you say, Valendrian?” The stranger mentioned to the Hahren. Ignoring Valendrian’s next statement entirely, she gave the human a suspicious glare. The part where Valendrian mentioned that this man was an old friend caught her attention again though, eyes snapping to him.

          “Old friend? You know this human?” It was no secret that Ashaya Tabris had no love for the hahren of the Alienage. Any friend of his was most definitely an enemy of Ashaya. She was never sure why they never got on very well, but it was like oil and fire when they mixed. 

          Valendrian gave her a withering look that stated he knew something she didn’t, “Yes. This is Duncan, head of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden.” Confusion must have been written across her face, as Duncan took up where Valendrian left off.

          “I am here because the worst has happened. Another Blight has begun. King Cailan has summoned the Wardens to fight alongside him at Ostagar against the horde.” Ashaya tried to keep her expression neutral, but the excitement was a bit much. Feeling Nelaros fidget beside her reminded her that the life of a Grey Warden, whoever they may be, would not be the right one for her. Valendrian mentioned the weddings, and both Nelaros and Ashaya tensed. 

          “By all means, attend to your ceremonies, my concerns can wait. For now.” Tension released from Valendrian’s face, and he nodded.

          “Very well, then. Duncan is my guest, please treat him as such.” A pointed glance to Ashaya, “Now, take your places.”

          Nelaros had to lead his bride towards where the ceremonies were taking place, as she was too busy glaring at everyone who looked at her.

          “That was odd. Wonder what he came for,” Nelaros stated, watching Ashaya from the corner of his eye, “You look beautiful, by the way.” He could see her look up at him in shock of the comment and he smiled. Soris arrived when they did, and Valora’s small voice could be heard.

          “Soris! There you are! I was afraid you’d run off!” She reached for him and he reluctantly grasped her hand. Nelaros and Ashaya on the other hand, never let go of one another. 

          “No, I’m here. It looks like the lovebirds decided to finally arrive, too. Is it just me or does Ashaya look a little disheveled?” Soris cackled, and Ashaya rolled her eyes. It seemed that’s all she did when she spoke with him.

          “That’s just my hair, you egghead.” He grinned devilishly at his cousin, before glancing over his shoulder. That turned his smile upside down in an instant. He opened his mouth to comment, but Valendrian gave him a look that shut him up before he could say a word. 

          “Family and friends...” Valendrian began, and already Ashaya was lost. Her eyes searched the crowd for the face of her father. She found him in the front, smiling sadly up at her. It was difficult to think of him not always being apart of her life, but this wedding was just a reminder that she was getting older and he was too. A far gentler, more feminine voice took over the ceremony, and Ashaya felt herself falling asleep on her feet. Other than the fact that they were banned from the Chantry, this was exactly why she did not review the Chant of Light. Thankfully, the celebration was about to get a lot more interesting. Nelaros tensed beside her as the familiar face came closer to the square. Ashaya felt a chill run up her spine as the vile human approached. 

          Mother Boann was none the wiser until the marching of guards grabbed her attention. Ashaya’s eyes scanned the crowd, watching the Grey Warden push his way up to the platform as well. 

          “Sorry to interrupt, Mother, but I’m having a party and we’re dreadfully short of female guests!” He stalked onto the platform, making his way behind Valora. His laughter grated on her nerves, and she visibly flinched.

          “Milord, this is a wedding!” the Mother attempted to dissuade Vaughn, but he was determined. 

          “Ha!” He shoved Valora out of his way, moving towards the Mother, “If you want to dress up your pets and have tea parties, that’s your business. But don’t pretend this is a proper wedding.” Vaughn’s eyes bore into the Mother until her mouth clenched close.

          “Now, we only came to have a good time with these...  _ lovely  _ ladies, isn’t that right, boys?” A lecherous grin sprouted as his eyes feasted upon the women present. 

          “Just a good time with the ladies, that’s all.” Another brute piped in, seemingly appearing from nowhere behind Shianni. She jumped a little in shock.

          “Let’s take those two, the one in the tight dress, the bitch that bottled me… and this darling creature here.” He turned his predatory gaze onto Ashaya. Nelaros immediately put himself between herself and Vaughn.

          “Don’t worry, I won’t let them take you.” He began a stare down with the nobleman, and her heart almost stopped. She felt the urge to hug him, but also shake some sense into him. Idiot man. 

          “I won’t let them take Shianni, Nelaros.” She stated quietly near his ear. Luckily, the Grey Warden finally made his grand entrance, clearing his throat to grab Vaughn’s attention.

          “You will leave here at once.” Duncan’s steady voice broke through the tension, and Vaughn laughed in disbelief.

          “And who are you, old man, to tell  _ me _ what to do? I am-”

          “I know very well who you are, but you are obviously at a loss as to who  _ I  _ am.” Vaughn stared blankly at Duncan, awaiting a response. “I will make this very easy for you. The  _ Ferelden Grey Wardens  _ do not wish to quarrel with you.” At this Vaughn visibly paled. Shocked into silence for the moment, he gestured his men to began their departure. A fleeting glance at Ashaya told her that this was not the last that they would see of him. 

          Nervous chuckles broke across the crowd after the arl’s son and his men departed, Duncan removed himself from the stage and the ceremony continued. It took awhile for everyone to settle in, but there was still tension in the air that would not abate. 

~

          When the wedding ceremony finally came to a close, Nelaros leaned in close, his breath tickling her ear, “I will spend every waking moment keeping you safe and learning to make you happy.” Ashaya, while still being against the marriage, took the comment in stride. She was many things, but she was not one to break a promise.

          “And I will try to make that job as easy for you as possible, dear husband.” 

~

          The party was in full swing when the Warden Commander retired to his temporary resting place. Supposedly, the shindig was to celebrate the newlyweds, but Ashaya wasn’t convinced. It seemed as though they were the excuse for everyone to let loose. Not that she minded, but it was grating on her nerves. They were celebrating the unwilling loss of her freedom and they seemed to keep forgetting that everytime they congratulated her. Nelaros was... Well he was a dream, definitely. When someone drunkenly stumbled over and wished the seated pair well, he grasped her hand tight and rubbed his thumb over her fingers. Although they were practically strangers, the previous days they’d shared together had bonded them enough that they felt comfortable with small brushes of contact.

          They had tried their luck at dancing, but as it turned out, Ashaya wasn’t much of a dancer until she was barefoot. Nelaros obliged her, carefully watching for any debris that could potentially harm her. This made the movements quite a bit more difficult, and the couple decided they would try again later in the night.

          They were at least doing better than the other newlyweds, trying- and failing- to make pleasant conversation, while Nelaros and Ashaya would frequently lean into each other and whisper silly things before breaking into giggles. They were like little children. Cyrion was constantly watching his daughter, glad that he had made what he’d hoped to be the right decision.

          A small contingent of men made their way into the Alienage for the second time that day. The arl’s son was not very good at taking no for an answer, and as such decided to return with a vengeance. He stormed angrily through partying elves, not announcing himself loudly as before, hoping to escape the notice of a certain Warden Commander. He directed his men to divide and  snatch the women matching his descriptions when they were alone. This was planned from the moment he was forced from the Alienage earlier during the day. The inebriated elves didn’t quite notice a human in their midst, so Vaughn was able to sneak through the crowds and lie in wait behind the pair until he could claim his prize. 

          Nelaros excused himself from his bootless bride, and the moment he did, Vaughn took his chance. Grasping her from behind, Vaughn forced a hand over Ashaya’s mouth. “Now, now, darling, hush up. Wouldn’t want to cause a scene now would we?” Her comments were muffled by his hand, but his excitement was getting the best of him. Ignoring her increasingly wild movements, he moved a hand from her throat to her breast and the reaction was immediate. She stilled in panic, and he chuckled darkly in her ear, pulling her back into the side road he snuck through. 

          “Would it be naughty if I took you right here? With all of these people nearby? I could muffle your screeching with your own dress.” Her breaths were quick and short. She’d never felt this powerless before. She could tell he enjoyed making her squirm, and she was all the more nervous for it. “No, better save you for later. Your dearest will be back soon, and I would hate for him to break up our fun.” 

          While dragging her further from safety, he stumbled and Ashaya took her chance, stomping her bare heel into his foot. He released her for a brief moment- just enough time for her to scream at the top of her lungs and alert a good portion of the Alienage. He took that as his cue, and with one swift punch that connected to her head, he had effectively knocked her out. Vaughn heaved her over his shoulder and took off into the night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little non-con. I'm debating on whether or not to cut out a piece of one of the future chapters... I guess we'll see when we get there!   
> I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful day!


	5. Helpless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daddy elf is a haunted man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love these half chapters. Well it's not even really a half chapter. More like a snippet of in between moments. Also I meant to post this a week ago but whoopsies.

                 Upon hearing his daughter’s scream, Cyrion ran to where the sound originated from and only glimpsed the retreating shadow of a large man. It was fleeting enough that he questioned if he even saw it. Based on the day’s events, he guessed- if his eyes did not deceive him -it was another human come to terrorize them once again. He immediately alerted the men and the Warden Commander. Once they realized no one was able to locate the other women the arl’s son threatened earlier in the day, things progressed quickly. A plan was drawn up, and the two grooms borrowed weapons from the Warden. They took off for the estate, leaving the conflicted father behind.  
                 In the deep quiet of the night- after things had been cleaned and the party goers went to their respective residences- the hushed city taunted him. Mocked him with false echoes of his daughter’s cry. He lie in bed, wishing for sleep to come and take him from his thoughts. A heavy feeling weighed down his body as he remembered the night of Adaia’s death. He was helpless in that moment as he was now to the hand fate wished to play. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day!

**Author's Note:**

> I love Nelaros and Ashaya bonding time. It gives my cold little heart life! Any constructive criticism (that is *kind*) is always welcome. Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day!


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